Lev Glazman
Lev Glazman spent his childhood in Leningrad wrapped in the unmistakable aura of Red Moscow, the Soviet-era fragrance that saturated every adult gathering. That early, almost unconscious education in scent planted seeds that would bloom into one of beauty's most distinctive careers. Glazman and his wife Alina Roytberg immigrated to the United States and eventually founded Fresh in 1991, building it into a cult-favorite brand that caught the attention of LVMH, which acquired the company. Bergdorf Goodman became Fresh's spiritual home, a relationship that endured for decades. Glazman never considered himself a perfume maker in the traditional sense. He preferred the title he coined: fragrance architect. His work extended beyond Fresh into The Maker, a venture dedicated to the intimate connection between scent and memory. As a collector who owns around 500 fragrances, he approaches each creation as a preservation mechanism, a way to capture and hold moments that might otherwise dissolve. His perspective on fragrance is deeply personal and sensory rather than commercial, which shows in every bottle that bears his sensibility.
The hits
Notable creations
The signature
How Lev composes
Glazman's signature style leans toward warm, sultry compositions with deep, lingering trails. He favors rich materials that carry emotional weight: resins, woods, and oriental notes that seem to hold memories within their structure. His work at Fresh introduced audiences to unexpected ingredient combinations that felt both sophisticated and accessible, bridging the gap between artistic perfumery and mainstream appeal. At The Maker, he pushed further into provocative territory, building scents with sensual, almost visceral impact. His technique involves amplification and layering, creating fragrances that unfold over hours rather than dissipating quickly. He gravitates toward ingredients with narrative quality, choosing materials that tell stories as much as they smell pleasant. The result tends toward intensity balanced with elegance, opulence tempered by restraint.
Philosophy
What drives Lev
Glazman operates from a conviction that perfume should function as a memory vessel, not merely a pleasant scent. He has spoken about perfume being "only the beginning" and describes his true interest as the space where scent intersects with recollection and art. This philosophical stance shapes how he approaches every composition: each fragrance represents an attempt to crystallize a specific feeling or moment. Rather than chasing trends or market demands, Glazman builds from emotional anchors, asking himself what memory a particular scent might preserve or invoke. His creative process involves layering rich, evocative materials in ways that create multidimensional experiences, treating fragrance as a form of storytelling through chemistry. He believes in the transformative power of scent on daily life, but transformation here means something quiet and personal, not loud or performative.
The houses
Maisons Lev composes for
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